Introduction

Welcome to the Agricultural Management Practices for Water Quality
Protection module. This web-based training unit introduces eight basic
types of agricultural practices that are suitable for reducing or minimizing
water quality impacts, as part of an overall watershed approach. These practices
are often called Best Management Practices, or BMPs. We based this module on
two primary information sources:

EPA's National Management Measures to Control Nonpoint Source Pollution,
which is non-regulatory, national guidance for agriculture that is issued to help farmers
reduce non-point source pollution.

This module has two parts. Part 1 summarizes the use and value of the CORE 4 conservation
practices using training materials developed by CTIC. The CORE 4 program promotes reducing
non-point sources of pollution from croplands through integrated use of the following four
complementary practices:

Part 2 details four additional agricultural BMPs that can be considered for increased
protection and benefits. These supplemental agricultural BMPs are aimed at benefiting
production while protecting the environment, and are highlighted in the EPA's guidance
manual National Management Measures to Control Nonpoint Source Pollution from Agriculture:

Irrigation Water Management - reducing nonpoint source pollution of ground and surface waters caused by irrigation systems; Grazing Management - minimizing the water quality impacts of grazing and browsing activities on pasture and range lands;Animal Feeding Operations (AFOs) Management - minimizing impacts of animal feeding operations and waste discharges through runoff controls, waste storage, waste utilization, and nutrient management;Erosion and Sediment Control - conserving soil and reducing the mass of sediment reaching a water body, protecting both agricultural land and water quality and habitat.